Connections
by Lady Addiction
Summary: XXXHolicHnG X-over (complete). When Watanuki meets Shindou Hikaru, he finds himself on a mission to rescue a captive soul: Fujiwarano Sai.
1. Prologue

**_CONNECTIONS_**

_An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over_

_By Lady Addiction_

_**DISCLAIMER:** Neither xxxHolic nor Hikaru no Go belongs or was otherwise influenced by me. Too bad…_

_**WARNINGS:** SPOILERS for HnG's entire series, xxxHolic Vol. 1-4, and some cameos from Tsubasa Chronicles; GEN; supernatural; possible OOCness?; possible offensive language_

_**SUMMARY:** A terrible illness lands Hikaru in a hospital and straight into a journey of his wildest fantasies._

_**AUTHOR NOTES:**_

_1. Information on tanuki is from __this site__. Some of the descriptions used in this fic may contain offensive language, but it's not my fault they're described this way!_

_2. I'm no major shakes in the whole Japanese mythology thing and most of this is cobbled from the mangas. That goes for the whole ghost vs. comatose people thing, too (although that is mostly from an overactive imagination)._

_3. I believe Hikaru was 15 when he last saw Sai, so he'll be 19 in this fic. Watanuki's age is not mentioned, but I'm setting him as 15._

_4. Er, I think I'm getting too wordy. I have a feeling it's a side effect of attempting to read 'Heart of Darkness' (the longest 72 pages I've ever tried to read!). Hope it doesn't come across too unwieldy. _

_5. This entire fic is a tribute to Hikago day: May 5, 2005 (5/5/5). Hope you enjoy it!_

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**GLOSSARY:**

**_Gakuran_** – is the traditional style of boy's uniform that had long-sleeves, a high collar, and buttoned down the front (e.g. Shindou Hikaru's Haze Jr. High uniform)

**_Hookah_** – unless I'm totally wrong, this is the type of waterpipe that Yuuko uses in the manga. It is often used to smoke flavoured tobacco

**_Shisha_** – is hookah tobacco that is a mix of molasses, fruit, and tobacco

**_Hitaikakushi_** – a triangular piece of paper/cloth the Japanese thought was worn by ghosts

**_Katabira_** – the white kimono that people were buried in and the Japanese thought was worn by ghosts

**_Macha_** – is a form of green tea that is powdered and quite bitter. Often used in tea ceremonies. The one place I know that sells it here sells a tiny can for over $35Cdn. Way beyond a college student's budget for tea!

**_Dango_** – are tiny balls made of glutinous rice in skewers. I've never had the actual Japanese ones, but the ones in the restaurants here in Canada have red-bean jam or a sweet soy-based sauce all over them.

**_Seichi_** – the last stage of Go where each player begins counting territory

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**PROLOGUE:**

The dreams began one week before Setsubon.

It always started in the same way. He would find himself in the same, misty-white place where he had last seen Sai. Then Sai himself would slowly come out of the mist.

The first time it occurred, Hikaru couldn't believe his eyes. Then, he had jumped on Sai, tackling the poor ghost. The dream would pass on timelessly with him clinging to Sai, updating his friend with all that has happened in the four years since they had last seen each other.

Like that first, fateful dream, Sai would never speak, but his eyes glittered with some unknown secret and his smiling mouth hinted smug pride.

As the dreams continued in the nights that followed, Hikaru found his almost non-stop babbling slowing down. There was no more rush to get everything he needed to say out. Sai would be there again the next night.

But although he woke up with a bright smile, Hikaru fell asleep with an anxious heart. Each time he feared Sai would not be there, that whatever mysterious godling that had granted him his heart's deepest wish had rescinded its generous gift.

Sai was always there, as calm and beautiful as he had last seen him.

In that week, his friends marvelled at his uplifted spirits, especially considering he had lost his chance to challenge for the Tengen title, and more than a few wondered what had caused that brilliant joy to manifest.

555

Just as Hikaru began to hope that his dreams would continue on for a long time, it changed.

The night after the Setsubon festival, Hikaru had fallen asleep, eager to talk about how Akari had 'accidentally' beaned Waya and Touya during the bean-throwing event, and how Waya had somehow managed to convince Isumi and Fuku to dress up in oni-costumes. Of course, they must not forget how they had gone to a karaoke bar afterwards, still in their colourful yukatas, and had enjoyed pelting each other as their turns to sing came up. He and Waya had booed Touya loudly, both annoyed at how the other Go pro had managed to develop a mellifluous singing voice. Hikaru had wondered whether Touya was ever bad at anything. Probably not.

His impatience had made it harder for him to find sleep, but when the dream came, it was not what he had expected.

The mist was gone, but Sai was there. He was kneeling in the middle of a great forest-like scene. However, as Hikaru ran to embrace his tall friend, something blocked him. He pounded his fists at that unseen barrier, yelling loudly, but the wall remained. Behind it, a great distance away Sai knelt, his pale face pinched and drawn. He was mouthing something, and it took long moments before Hikaru could calm himself enough to try and read his friend's lips.

"…Hikaru…stop…stay…away…stay…away…stay…away…"

"Sai! No, Sai! Dammit, whoever you are, stop toying with us like this! Sai! Get out from there! Sai!"

Hikaru woke, sweaty and panting. It was dawn, even before the sun was visible over the horizon. The boy ran his hands through his dual-coloured hair and took deep breaths. Regaining his centre, he stubbornly settled back down on the bed. "Sai, I'm coming," he whispered determinedly.

His efforts were futile. The happy dreams of before had ended and Sai was nowhere to be found once more. Hikaru would rise from his bed, his body torpid from something more than restless slumber, and his disposition black from combined frustration and fear.

Something was happening to Sai and he couldn't do anything about it.

His appetite diminished startlingly, so much so that his friends would look at him askance as he toyed with his burgers or let his ramen grow cold. He tried to sleep as much as possible, yet he could find no rest. Abruptly, he withdrew from his other tournaments and spent as much time in the town library as possible, researching dreams and the paranormal. His alarmed circle of friends and relatives worried themselves over him, but he remained oblivious and withdrawn from them.

Then Hikaru fell ill.

555

It started with a mild cold. Two weeks after Setsubon, Hikaru had been caught out in the freezing February rain. His mother had clucked frantically after him, but he only climbed quietly up to his room and readied himself for bed.

The next day, he was nearly aflame with a high fever. Within hours of that discovery, he was rushed immediately to the nearest hospital in an ambulance, his mother and father anxiously riding along.

Pneumonia was the diagnosis the doctor gave. He smiled reassuringly at his patient's parents and told them that it was a common enough illness, and that with care and the proper medication, their son would soon be back on his feet.

However, to everyone's growing dismay, Hikaru didn't get better. In fact, he grew weaker and weaker, until he spent most of the days asleep. His meals had been liquefied in order for him to sip it, but even then, he was only able to finish little more than half of it. A constant stream of visitors came to his door, but he was awake for a rare few and in those cases was only able to make feeble, halting conversation for a few minutes before the effort tired him out.

Four days after he was entered into the hospital, he slipped into an inexplicable coma.

_**WWW**_

_**On to chapter 1... **_

**_Don't forget to comment please!_**


	2. 1: Unexpected Meetings

**_CONNECTIONS_**

**_An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over_**

**_By Lady Addiction_**

**_WWWW _**

**CHAPTER 1: UNEXPECTED MEETINGS**

Watanuki, for once, found himself walking down the streets without a single aim in mind. Yuuko-san's shop was closed for the day (the witch had said something about an appointment at a local spa for some relaxation after her hard work – what hard work! It was him who did all the hard work!), Himawari-chan had refused his stammering offer to go out for a movie due to a school project (but she looked so apologetic and sorry that he couldn't help but melt at her contrite expression!), and Doumeki had failed to get in his face the entire day (always a plus!).

So here he was, out of his gakuran-style uniform and into a pair of comfortable dark trousers and a short-sleeved blue button-down. The streets were relatively busy with the after-work crowd dodging in and out of the small shops and restaurants, and children playing in the nearby parks and sports fields.

He wandered close to Ichikawa's Bookshop, standing at the window displays to eye the this month's issues of manga and novels. Right beside a pyramid of sports magazines was a neat collection of Igo books and a portable goban set. Watanuki paid it little attention, having absolutely no interest in the game.

"Eh, Kuwabara-sensei's latest book is out," a loud voice said, startling Watanuki. He spun around, only to see another boy who looked a year or two older than him leaning down to take a closer look at the Igo collection. He looked normal enough, even trendy, in a pair of dark cargo pants loaded with zippers and a yellow and black shirt with white 5's emblazoned all over the surface. The boy turned to look Watanuki in the eye and the younger boy blinked, processing the brilliant green gaze and the odd hair-colouring. Still, having witnessed people crossing multiple dimensions, being constantly plagued by unruly spirits, not too mention meeting all the wild and disturbed people that were Yuuko-san's 'clients', a little oddness didn't bother him.

"Do, do you play Igo then?" Watanuki asked awkwardly. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see people looking towards them but he ignored them.

The boy straightened up and Watanuki found out that the stranger was a head taller. "Oh yeah, I love it! The feel of the stones, the sound it makes when it hits the board, the universe right under your fingertips…" Watanuki blinked, a little surprised that this boy who looked more at home in an arcade could speak so passionately about a dull strategy game. His reaction did not go unnoticed as the other boy flashed him with a sly grin. "Not a Go fan, then?"

Watanuki shook his head, reaching up to adjust his glasses. "Well, I don't really know anything about Igo or Shougi or stuff like that," he replied, feeling a little embarrassed at his ignorance. "I play soccer sometimes but that's it."

"Oh really? I used to play soccer a lot too! Mostly in middle school! So what position do you play?"

Awkwardly, he began to explain that he alternated between a forward and a left midfielder during his gym classes. Shindou Hikaru, as he introduced himself, proudly replied that he had been a forward too. Soon, Watanuki found himself relaxing and the two of them began strolling down the streets, exchanging soccer anecdotes energetically and debating the merits of various league teams, oblivious to the fact that more and more people were skirting away from them.

Early evening found them sitting down by one of the many canal-ways that bisected the city. Watanuki was sitting up, his knees drawn to his chest, while he listened to Shindou, who had sprawled shamelessly on the grass, chat about his life as a professional Igo player. Unlike Watanuki who endured rather than enjoyed his unending term at Yuuko-san's shop, Shindou obviously loved his profession. Even now, Shindou's facial expression was lively and animated as he spilled stories of his rivals-cum-friends.

"Hey, Watanuki…"

"Hmmm…" The other boy was looking up at the clear night sky, sparkling with stars. He knew he should be heading home, but Watanuki was at peace here beside Shindou. He didn't want to leave.

"…do you mind if I tell you a secret?"

Watanuki looked down at Shindou, who stared back at him, eyes wide and dark. He frowned, now feeling uneasy. "Um, sure, if you want to. I promise I won't tell anyone."

"First, tell me this…do you believe in the supernatural? Like ghosts and stuff?"

Watanuki swallowed. This was not a conversation he wanted to go into. Still, he nodded gingerly.

"Well, do you know that there's this big red scaly snake-demon thing that's been watching you since we sat down here? It's over there to your far right."

Someone uncursed with the second sight would have scoffed at that, maybe would have even stormed off, offended. Watanuki simply…froze.

Out of the corner of his eye, he looked and saw that there was indeed a big, red, scaly snake-demon thing with far too many eyes and legs watching him. How come he hadn't see the demon beforehand was not something he wanted to think about now. Instead, the only thing that flashed through his mind was a stream of: KAMI-SAMA! NOT NOW! WHERE THE HELL IS DOUMEKI!

"You do see it, don't you?" Shindou was sitting up. His eyes bored into Watanuki's. The boy swallowed and replied tremulously, "Ah, er, well, you-you see, for some reason, I-I can see spirits. I-I've been told it's a fam-family th-thing."

"Is it following you or me? And what for?"

_Why are you still here talking to me like this!_ Watanuki wanted to scream at the too-calm boy. "It's following me, not you…I'm told it's because they want to eat me, or so a woman I know says --- hey, wait! You see them too!"

Shindou sat up and rubbed the back of his head. His face became a twisted mix of a grimace and a smile. "Well, not exactly. Anyway, you must be doing something to be keeping them away like that if they want to eat you. Or do you just want to run right now?"

"I, I think I have some salt here," Watanuki said, hurriedly rummaging through his pockets. Ever since he had learned the magical properties of salt, he always carried a small box of it. Pouring out a handful, he tossed it over his shoulder towards the snake-demon-thing. It fled even before the white grains could reach it. Both heaved deep sighs of relief.

"So are you going home?" Watanuki asked Shindou. The other boy grimaced/smiled again. "Well, I guess. Hey, what are you doing tomorrow?"

Watanuki adjusted his glasses and considered that. It was Sunday, so he was free until the afternoon when he headed off to Yuuko-san's shop. "I'm free in the morning," he said.

Shindou smiled, a brilliant roguish expression that made Watanuki smile back. "Meet you here then. I still have to let you in on my secret!"

"Hey, why don't you just tell me now?" Watanuki wanted to know. He got up and began dusting off his pants.

"Nope, you just have to wait until tomorrow!" Shindou stuck his tongue out briefly at the other boy, before jogging away. Watanuki rolled his eyes and then headed off to bed.

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_**On to chapter 2...  
**_

_**Comments?**_


	3. 2: Secrets Told

**_CONNECTIONS_**

**_An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over_**

**_By Lady Addiction_**

**WWWW**

**CHAPTER 2: SECRETS TOLD**

When Watanuki came to the grassy area the next morning, he almost missed seeing Shindou. The other boy was sitting right at the edge of the canal-way, dangling his legs over the side. Watanuki made a point of calling out and tromping loudly towards the green-eyed boy so that he didn't inadvertently startle Shindou and cause him to fall into the canal waters.

Shindou looked back at him and waved. Soon, Watanuki was settling cross-legged besides the other boy. "Hey, I know you don't know how to play Go but I can teach you now if you like."

Watanuki was taken aback. "But I don't have anything to play with."

"That's okay. We can play with this." Another flashing grin and Shindou was assembling a small magnetic board between them. Watanuki looked at the entire process doubtfully, but diligently tried to listen as the other guided him through the basics.

Probably because of the other's too-casual manner of dressing, Watanuki had inadvertently underestimated Shindou's ability to teach. A surprisingly patient teacher, Shindou had a way of explaining so that Watanuki understood easily and became more and more interested, rather than less and less. Within two hours, they were playing teaching games and Watanuki found playing Igo with Shindou to be both challenging and fun.

Three games later, Shindou put away the set and Watanuki opened up his bentou box. He had packed double the amount, but although his new friend looked at the dishes longingly, he refused Watanuki's offer. Confused but hesitant to push, Watanuki decided to eat his share and give the rest to Shindou later, or serve it to Yuuko-san.

Finally, there came the time of hush-hush, when there was nothing left for them to do but sit back and relax. Watanuki kept thinking about Shindou's secret, but he refused to open that discussion.

"You know, when I was in the middle school, my very best friend was a ghost," Shindou said abruptly. Watanuki tensed, then forced himself to relax and listen. He hmmmed his response.

"He was the spirit of a Heian master Go player and man, he was really obsessed with Go. Day and night, he wanted to play and play and play! At first, he drove me crazy! All I knew about Go then was that my grandfather was really good at it, but it was dull and boring! All I liked then was soccer."

Watanuki hmmmed again. He was beginning to think that there was something really odd about Shindou, at the fact that here he was telling ghost stories, and Watanuki did not feel the slightest urge to flee hastily.

"Then I met this kid my age, and he was just as obsessed about Go as Sai. That's the name of my ghost, by the way. Anyway, to make a long story short, this kid and Sai, well, they made me learn about Go and love it enough to try and become a professional. It was…a very long, painful, but…satisfying trip…"

Shindou paused, taking several deep breaths. Watanuki eyed him with concern, but he couldn't find anything to say so he kept quiet. The other continued, but there was a quiver present in his voice.

"Then one day, Sai disappeared. Gone just like that! Poof!" He flailed his hands to demonstrate, then became still again. "I looked for him everywhere, but I couldn't find him. I knew, I just knew he left because I became selfish and I refused to let him play anymore!"

The other boy opened his mouth to try and refute that, but Shindou rolled on, "I quit Go then for a few months, but a friend showed me that just because Sai was gone, didn't mean I would forget all about him. Sai taught me Go, and so I can see him in the games I play."

Watanuki looked up at the cloudy sky. He felt hollow inside. Hearing Shindou like this made him remember that very special friend he had made in elementary. He was the one who told him how to exorcise ghosts with salt, who kept him company for over a year, making the lonely nights without his parents and any siblings bearable. He had been Watanuki's very first friend.

"I, I had a friend like that, too," Watanuki said quietly. "He was with me for about a year and we had a lot of fun together. But on April 1st, my birthday, he left for the..the Other world, I guess you could call it. My first and only present from him was a piece of his bone which I kept until it became dust. Then I threw the ashes towards the cherry trees he liked so much…I wished he could have stayed forever…"

"Sai left me something too," Shindou replied quietly, "in a dream, he came to me. He didn't say anything but at the end, he passed me his fan. It was the fan that he used to play Go with all the time, so I knew it was very special. Of course, when I woke up, there was nothing so I bought this instead." Reaching into his pockets, Shindou took out a plain paper fan with a subtle embossed rippling pattern. He handed it to Watanuki, who handled it reverently before giving it back.

"I guess ghosts aren't all that bad," Watanuki said with a sigh. "Sometimes, they bother me so much that I just want to be rid of them, to not be able to see them anymore. But then, I wouldn't have been able to meet that friend of mine." _And maybe I wouldn't have been able to meet Yuuko-san and Syaoran and the others. _He wondered whether that would have been such a bad thing.

"Well, I'm glad for one that you can see spirits," Shindou replied, a strange smile on his face.

Watanuki cocked his head and eyed his friend quizzically. "Why is that?"

"Because then you wouldn't have been able to see me."

A short thud followed that calm announcement.

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**_On to chapter 3...  
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**_Comments?_**


	4. 3: The Heart's Deepest Wish

**_CONNECTIONS_**

**_An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over_**

**_By Lady Addiction_**

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**CHAPTER 3: THE HEART'S DEEPEST WISH**

It was quite cool that afternoon when they arrived at the mysterious shop. Watanuki had half-hoped that the wards would prevent newly-revealed ghost/spirit/whatever from entering, but the iron gates swung open noiselessly. With a heavy heart, he led the way inside.

The narrow hallways were brightly lit, and Watanuki rolled his eyes, amazed at his employer's blatant disregard for energy conservation. He led the way towards the main room, knowing that was where Yuuko-san was always to be found.

He wondered if he would regret introducing his new friend to the witch the minute he opened the doors and heavy, pink smoke immediately embraced him. Taking a deep breath (and he nearly choked at the sickeningly-sweet essence that filled his nostrils), he stepped inside. Shindou followed, gawking curiously.

Yuuko-san had made herself comfortable on her thickly-padded Roman-style couch. Today, she was wearing yet another unique dress that alternately covered and revealed, pale-blue and white with a heart-shaped décolletage and many strategic cutouts. Maru and Moro had pulled her hair away into a bun-like style held up by bejewelled golden sticks, while two jagged locks framed her face. At the moment, she was half-entangled with her beloved hookah and was blowing fragrant shisha smoke all around the room. The doll-like pair, Maru and Moro, were playing cat's cradle in one corner, while the black Mokona was flipping through television channels.

The moment Yuuko-san's depthless black eyes passed by Shindou with absolutely no reaction whatsoever sent uneasiness flooding into Watanuki. It was obvious that the powerful, ageless woman could not see his companion.

Shindou only looked at Watanuki, unsure as to what to do.

"Mokona sees a spirit!" A round black phenomenon with elongated ears and a dangly blue earring chirped. He turned off the TV and bounded over to the woman.

"Aahhh, a spirit," Yuuko-san murmured, her eyes narrowing. She straightened up on the couch and imperiously held out a hand to Mokona. The magical creature promptly leapt onto her palm. Watanuki could only watch, amazed, as she suddenly zeroed in on Shindou, who was now looking much like a targeted rabbit.

That frightening gaze shifted over to him and he averted his eyes. "Watanuki?"

Shindou once again showed that he was not as dense as he appeared because he stepped forward. "If you're asking about me, I'm Shindou Hikaru and, well, I don't really think I'm a ghost."

Yuuko-san's heavy-lidded eyes slipped away from Watanuki to a more deserving mark. "But you're a spirit," she replied calmly. Maru and Moro had come to her, and she relinquished the waterpipe to them.

"Um, yeah, there is that. But see…" And Shindou went through a ramble about falling sick, then waking up floating from the ceiling, looking down at his comatose body. After staying there for a day and trying everything he could to get back, he had decided to see if he could find someone to help him return to his body. Nobody ever saw or felt him as he wandered around and the first person he felt 'drawn to' was Watanuki, and it turned out that Watanuki could see, hear, and touch him.

"…I would say that maybe it's because my body's dead, but the heart machine showed that there was still a heartbeat. Besides, from what I know of ghosts, they were stuck in one place or area unless they possess someone, and they didn't have much abilities," Shindou concluded with a shrug.

"And you have 'abilities'?" Yuuko-san asked.

"Well, I'm guessing that because I'm in a coma, I'm like a wandering dreamer. And in a dream, the dreamer can do anything, or at least they could try. That's why I was able to change clothes and how I had a portable Go set and fan with me, but no one could see, hear, or touch me, besides Watanuki. If I were a real ghost, I would be wearing a katabira and a hitaikakushi or what I last wore when I died, right?"

Watanuki didn't know that he liked being described as a dream, but he had nothing he could refute that with. He exchanged glances with Yuuko-san, who shrugged. He then sighed. For all that he saw the restless denizens of the Other world, most of the ones who were drawn to him had deteriorated beyond anything human. And the ones that were still human never talked to him about their deaths, only about their lives or his life. That is, if they could still talk at all.

"Well, Shindou Hikaru-who-is-not-a-ghost, something drew you to this shop. You have a wish."

Shindou looked askance at his friend. "Um, Watanuki led me here. And what do you mean a wish?"

"Er," Watanuki shuffled his feet, "Yuuko-san is a witch and she grants wishes for a price."

"She grants wishes! Like real wishes!" Watanuki became alarmed at the sudden longing evident in Shindou's voice.

"Er, yeah."

"Then, then, _I wish to see Sai again_!"

Yuuko-san rose from the couch, Mokona now on her left shoulder. Wearing a pair of delicate blue slippers, she approached, right arm outstretched, until her long-nailed fingers touched Shindou's chest. Even though Watanuki could touch him, he half-expected to see Yuuko-san's hand plunge inside. He didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed it didn't happen. He shook his head and listened closely.

Yuuko-san's words came out in soft measured beats, almost hypnotic. "Is that truly your heart's deepest wish at this very moment?"

"I-I-I-" Shindou looked down at himself, his face stricken as he suddenly remembered exactly how he came to be in this very odd place. His fists clenched and unclenched fiercely.

He took several rapid breaths before he spoke again. "It's been four years since I last saw Sai. He's a ghost but he was my closest friend. I've been having dreams about him. At first, he was happy, but in my last one, he was telling me to stay away! I know something's wrong! I know that somewhere he's hurting and he needs my help!"

Watanuki shivered. He wondered how it must have felt like, to have dreams of a dear friend slowly become your worst nightmares.

"The number four," Yuuko-san said after a long, thoughtful pause, "has a very special meaning in the spirit world. 'Shi' is also the character for death, and many are superstitious of it. The night of the Setsubon is also very special for it is the time that the barriers between the worlds of the spirits and the living become thin, thin enough for all manners of otherworldly creatures to be able to slip through." She withdrew away from Shindou and settled back onto her chair. Watanuki found his chest looser, his breath coming easier.

"From what you say, it sounds as if this 'Sai' found a way to break through the barriers. Maybe he had petitioned the gods to let him visit you on Setsubon, since it is the fourth year since his last passing and that is the preferred time for such visits."

"You mean the reason Sai was so excited was because he was going to come and see me!" Shindou's eyes were shining, and Watanuki could not bear to look upon such naked hope for long. Not when he knew that Yuuko-san rarely dealt in happily-ever-afters.

"I am only _hypothesizing_ this," she replied calmly. "I can't read the mind of spirits nor do I speak with them. I usually can't even see them, but with Mokona's help, I can see _you_. Now, if we think that somehow your friend had found a way to cross through the boundary, the only reason I can think of why you would dream of him was because he was trying to leave you a sign so it is logical to conclude that you are the one he would be visiting. Now tell me, did he seem different on the night of the Setsubon?"

Shindou frowned thoughtfully. "He seemed more excited, almost like he was about to play one of his most challenging games ever. And he was hyper, racing all over the place! I could barely keep up with him!"

"But Setsubon came and went and you didn't see him," said Yuuko-san, "then you had one last dream after Setsubon and it hinted at bad things. From this, I can only conclude that Sai was successful in passing through, that is the dream on the night of the Setsubon, but something happened afterwards. On the way to you, something happened to Sai and it is my guess that he is now trapped in the living world in some way, unable to return to where he rightfully should be," Yuuko-san concluded, her tone conveying her surety.

"And you think that maybe the reason I fell sick and am now a spirit is so that I can somehow free him? And return him back to the spirit world?" Shindou was pale and shaking.

"There is no coincidence in this world, only hitsuzen," came Yuuko-san's oft-repeated phrase. "You wished to see him. He wished to see you. A wish is granted, but as always, with a great price."

"What, what can I do now! How do I find him! What about my own body!"

"The longer a body remains without a soul, the weaker it becomes and the more susceptible to the coldness of death," Yuuko-san answered. "From what you said, you've been out of your body for over three days, including this one. I would venture to say that you must be returned to your body within a week or you may incur severe penalties."

"Like what!"

"Like a stroke that paralyzes your body? Or maybe just death. I don't know," was the quiet reply. "But I think a body without a soul for more than seven days is a very dangerous thing. Too many things would be attracted to it, either wanting to eat it or inhabit it. If you don't return in time, you may soon find you have nothing to return to."

"Why don't I just return now?" Shindou argued. Watanuki's brows raised. He was more than a little impressed at the other boy, for few of Yuuko-san's clients ever questioned her like this. Even Doumeki and Himawari-chan treated Yuuko-san with great respect.

In fact, the only people he'd seen talk disrespectfully to the witch was himself and now Shindou. He wondered if it was the fact that they already had their own dealings with the supernatural before meeting her that was the cause.

"Because there is a reason you are in spirit form now, such as there is a reason why you are talking to me now. I would say that until you find and free Sai's entrapped soul, you would not be able to return to your body."

"So I have four days to somehow find Sai, defeat whatever's holding him, and then find a way to my body!"

"I would say so, yes."

Abruptly, Shindou turned on his heels and stormed out. Watanuki scrambled to go after him, but Yuuko-san's cool words stopped him. "He will be back, Watanuki. Now don't waste what precious little time you have left. Call Doumeki. You will need his help on this quest."

Watanuki stared at the enigmatic sorceress. "You, you mean…"

"Yes, you, Doumeki, and that wandering spirit will be out on a gallant quest to find a lost and innocent soul," she cooed at him, gesturing for her assistants to hand her back her waterpipe. "And, for this trip, I believe Mokona will be of great assistance to you."

Black Mokona grinned and waved its tiny paws. "Mokona will help as much as Mokona can!"

"Watanuki," the very seriousness in her voice caused him to look her in the eye, "something that can hold a ghost is not something to be taken lightly. I would suggest that you take one of my special books from the Treasure Room. You may find answers there. Maru, Moro, show Watanuki the book."

When Watanuki came back, lugging a heavy leather-bound tome with intricate gold designs on the cover, Shindou was back. The Go player's face was resolute. He appeared to be listening to Yuuko-san's last-minute advice as the three came into the room. "Well, Watanuki, do you want to go ghost-busting with me?" he asked with a weak grin.

The younger boy nodded firmly. He hated the idea of facing down spirits, but Shindou had become a good friend even in so short a time. He refused to let down his friends.

"Let's go to Doumeki's temple first. His family have been exorcists for a long time." He grimaced.

"Sounds like a good person to have on the team."

"We don't need a bastard like that on our team," Watanuki grumbled.

WWWW

_**On to Chapter 4...**_


	5. 4: The Search Begins

**_CONNECTIONS_**

**_An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over_**

**_By Lady Addiction_**

**_WWW _**

**CHAPTER 4: THE SEARCH BEGINS**

Doumeki sat like an oversized Buddha, legs tucked under him, arms crossed over his chest, as Shindou explained the situation. Watanuki sat next to Shindou and fought a strong urge to reach out and sucker-punch the bane of his life, becoming increasingly irritated the more he looked at that unresponsive mien. On the other hand, Mokona was happily making a comfortable nest in Doumeki's hair. From the twitching of Shindou's lips, Watanuki knew that the sight was also affecting him.

When Doumeki had at first asked why Mokona was clinging to him, Watanuki had replied coolly that touching Mokona would allow Doumeki to see and talk to Shindou. The bastard had stared at him for so long that Watanuki was getting irate, and then calmly ignored him in favour of conversing with the boy-spirit.

"I see," Doumeki said after Shindou's rushed patter ended, "but what are we going to do now? Do you have any idea of what kind of creature or spirit would be able to trap and hold onto a soul?"

Both of them turned to Watanuki, who blinked back bewilderedly. "Well, did Yuuko-san give you any advice?" Doumeki asked after a long pause. Watanuki flushed and gnashed his teeth, fumbling at his schoolbag. "Yuuko-san just told me to read this book," he replied through gritted teeth after taking several calming breaths. He placed the book at the center of the gathering. Shindou was looking between them bemusedly.

Doumeki picked it up without a word and began flipping through it. "Well, it looks like this is an indexed encyclopaedia of Japanese mythology," he said. "It appears that Yuuko-san suspects that we will be fighting a Japanese demon."

"You don't need to try and sound so knowledgeable!" growled Watanuki, "it's not as if you know anything more than we do!"

Doumeki gave him a dry look before opening the pages at the back of the book. "There are really only two ways someone or something can capture a sentient creature, even a wandering soul or a ghost. Either they tricked it in some way, or they overpowered it."

"And?" Shindou asked eagerly. Watanuki rolled his eyes and held his tongue.

"Since this friend of yours has already passed onto the next world, he is not a simple ghost or spirit that is still tied to the world of the living. That means, that for him to move across the barrier, he must have gotten some kind of permission from the gods," Doumeki concluded. "Only demon-spirits, like oni and _kitsune_, can go through the barrier with only their own power."

"Yuuko-san already said something similar," Watanuki interjected derisively.

Doumeki ignored him. "So if we assume that he is already protected by a powerful god, then few can overpower him. What is more likely is that he must have somehow been tricked by one of the lesser demons."

Shindou frowned. "Sai was kinda naïve. He lived only for Go, and I don't think he really paid much attention to anything else. A _kitsune-spirit_ could have tricked him into a game of some kind."

Doumeki nodded. "That is what I think, too." He ran his fingers down through the index. "According to this book, there are three principal trickster-demons in Japanese mythology – the _tanuki_, the _kitsune_, and the _tengu._ Any one of these may be what we will face."

"But how do we know which one!" Watanuki exclaimed.

"Maybe the best way to go about it is to consider where this spirit would come from."

Shindou scowled. "Sai drowned himself in a river one thousand years ago. He never told me which one. The only other places I know are the graves of Honinbou Shusaku, who he possessed several hundred years ago. But I don't know which one he would be likely to have come from."

"Wouldn't it be more likely that he would appear from the river? The site of his first death?" Watanuki suggested.

"But I don't know which river it is or even if it still exists!" Shindou protested.

They all fell quiet, frustrated at their lack of progress. Suddenly a voice piped up. "Mokona is hungry for oden!" The black creature began bouncing on top of Doumeki's head.

"Oden? Wait!" Watanuki straightened up, his face lit up with excitement. "We can ask the _kitsune_ at the oden stand!"

Doumeki and Shindou exchanged glances. "_Kitsune_ eat oden?" Shindou asked, surprised.

"You've met _kitsune_ before?" was Doumeki's query.

Watanuki flapped his hands at them. "Yeah, yeah, I don't really remember when it happened but I was running late and all I could think about was that I had to prepare dinner for Yuuko-san. Suddenly, I smelled something incredible and I found an oden stand! But the shopkeeper was a _kitsune_! And he had a cute little _kitsune_ son there, too!" Watanuki smiled fondly in remembrance. "Oh yes, that was the night you won your archery competition, Doumeki, and you broke your arrow. I remember because I gave that arrow piece to the _kitsune_-boy in exchange for oden."

There was another hush as they processed that. "There was no special holiday that time," Doumeki pointed out.

"Which means that the oden-stand may still be there tonight!" crowed Shindou.

"Yes! But I'm not sure I remember where it is," Watanuki replied worriedly, biting his lower lip. "It was foggy and hazy, and all I remember clearly seeing was that well-lit stand."

"Mokona knows where fox-oden is!" The rotund being chirped. "Mokona can show the way!"

"Really!" They chorused incredulously. Mokona nodded, grinning, and waved his paws happily.

"Tonight then," Shindou said with satisfaction.

"Now that's done, make me some ramen, Watanuki," Doumeki ordered.

"Ooooh, ramen!" both Mokona and Shindou drooled at the thought.

"I'm not a restaurant, you know!"

WWWW

**On to Chapter 5…**


	6. 5: Eating Oden With Kitsunes

**_CONNECTIONS_**

**_An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over_**

**_By Lady Addiction_  
**

**WWWW**

**CHAPTER 5: EATING ODEN WITH _KITSUNE_S**

"Are you sure you're going the right way, Mokona?" Watanuki asked, his eyes darting from side to side. Shindou and Doumeki followed at his heels, both watchful. But although it was late that evening, they seemed to be in a perfectly normal neighbourhood.

Mokona nodded from where he perched on Doumeki's right shoulder. "This way, this way, Mokona knows!"

Then, as if their feet stepped over an invisible boundary, fog started to encircle them and darkness fell. A faint hazy light beckoned them closer, and soon they found themselves approaching a simple oden-stand. They could hear the bubbling of the flavourful stews, and the smell of the vegetables, fish-cakes, and meatstuff was heady and enticing.

Watanuki approached first, swallowing several times. As he pulled away the heavy curtains, he was greeted by the sight of that familiar fox-figure in the kimono and apron, small glasses glinting on a foxy nose. "Ah, you have come back," the shopkeeper said with a smile. "And you've brought friends with you."

At that, Shindou and Doumeki came closer. Watanuki saw that Shindou looked visibly stunned, while Doumeki merely glanced around. "Um, yes, these are my two friends, Shindou and Doumeki. The little black ball on Doumeki's shoulder is Mokona Modoki. Shindou, Doumeki, this is…um…"

"Please call me Seishuu," the _kitsune_ behind the counter said. "And this is my son, Shun." The tiny fox-child peered at them from a corner of the wall, but didn't come closer. "Watanuki-san, Shun was very happy with the arrow piece you gave him."

"Oh, it was my pleasure," Watanuki replied, flushing and flapping his hands. "Actually, Doumeki here was the one who owned that arrow."

"I gave it to you because I knew you would find a use for it," Doumeki interjected quietly.

"Nevertheless, thank you both," Seishuu said. He gestured at them to sit down. "Now would you like to try anything? We only have a humble selection at this stand."

"No, I remember that the oden I tasted here was the best oden I've ever eaten," Watanuki refuted with a wide smile. Then his face fell. "But we have nothing to give in exchange and we are here to ask for something else."

"Ah?"

Watanuki began carefully outlining out their situation. "…and Yuuko-san and Doumeki both think that something may have captured him, though we don't know for what purpose. We're here to try and free Shindou's friend, so Shindou himself can return back to his own body," he concluded. He noticed that Shun looked very curious, and he smiled at the _kitsune_-boy, who shyly smiled back.

"I see. Very noble of you all, to seek and battle with powerful spirits in order to save a friend," Seishuu said. He tucked his paws into his sleeves and contemplated the three of them. "We of the spirit world has heard of this, of a young man touched by a powerful god, who defied death twice in order to pursue a dream. He has become a favourite with the gods and great demons in the Worlds Beyond, because he is eager to challenge and never backs down."

"Yes, that sounds like Sai!" Shindou interrupted. Watanuki hushed him, and the other boy flushed and fell quiet.

"There've been rumours that he has recently challenged the River-God who held his body for the right to cross the barrier for one special night. There've been rumours he has succeeded."

"And what do the rumours say now," Doumeki asked.

"There are rumours that a certain trickster holds a very strong grudge against this young human, that in a game where the trickster had boasted he would never be defeated by a human, the human won and caused the trickster to lose face among his colleagues. Such a trickster may go to great lengths to avenge his loss of honour," the _kitsune_ replied, reaching out to stir the bobbing fish cakes. Deftly, he prepared three plates of steaming oden and handed them to his visitors. They accepted it, though no one bit into it yet.

"And does such a trickster carry a special item?" Doumeki continued, contemplating the dish before him. "Like perhaps a bag of rice, or a bottle of sake, or maybe a fan of feathers?"

"This trickster is rarely without a drink in hand, for he dwells in places where few humans go." Seishuu opened his arms. "Please eat. Oden is best when it is hot."

"But we have nothing to give in exchange for such a great story and food," Watanuki replied.

"Then I will request only one favour from each of you," Seishuu replied with an unsettling grin, "something you can do for me or my family at a time of my choosing. Is this agreeable?"

The three of them looked at each other. It was easy to forget that Seishuu was also a trickster, for he is congenial and generous. Watanuki sighed and shrugged. They didn't have much choice.

Still, the food that melted in their mouths and exploded on their tongues seemed well worth a favour. Being able to watch Doumeki hand feed the black puffball with a longsuffering expression didn't hurt as well.

555

"According to this book, _tanuki-_spirits are a form of dog-spirit that is between a racoon and a badger," Watanuki read out. After their visit to the oden-stand, they retreated back to Doumeki's temple to spend the night. Currently, they were sitting around a low, lacquered Japanese coffee table with a pot of steaming powdered _macha _tea and a selection of jam-smeared _dango _skewers. This time, before making the decision to stay, Watanuki made sure to ask whether there was a corpse in any of the rooms of the temple (or even in the courtyard). Though Doumeki's face remained passive as he replied in the negative, there was the faintest hint of an upturn in one corner of his mouth. All too conscious of Shindou's curious gaze, Watanuki balled his fists and tried to content himself with glowering at his nemesis. He transferred his glare to the other boy when Shindou opened his mouth to ask, and pointedly plopped the book on the table and opened it.

"All the legends say they look pretty much like the statues we have of them in the restaurants and those shops and street shrines. It says here that they can transform into living or nonliving things, though usually they prefer the forms of monks or teakettles, like _kitsune_-spirits prefer the form of a woman. Their powers involve being able to cast illusions, like turning leaves into fake money, though their transformations are never perfect. They love sake and playing tricks on hunters and woodsmen. Neither the chapters on _tengu_ nor _kitsune_ mentioned anything about sake so I think we're probably dealing with a _tanuki-_spirit," Watanuki concluded, fixing his glasses and rubbing his other hand nervously along the side of his trousers. Doumeki was lounging against a shoji screen, casual and enormous in a dark-grey house yukata with black stylized clouds. Shindou had transformed his pair of jeans and another 5 shirt into matching yellow-and-black track pants and shirt. His green eyes were bright and keen under his sunshine-gold bangs. To Watanuki's surprise, the other boy had settled onto _seiza_, his knees tucked under him in the traditional Japanese sitting position. Shindou's highly informal manner of clothing and behaviour would never have led Watanuki to believe he would be able to sit in that pose comfortably for long periods of time.

"What does it say about how we might be able to defeat him, it?" Shindou asked. "I mean, I've never really met anything supernatural beyond Sai and those _kitsune_ people at that oden-stand. I never even paid attention to the _tanuki_ statues on the streets!"

"My grandfather mentioned that in the myths about _tanuki_, it is commonly shown that the _tanuki_ transforms itself into a kettle," Doumeki said, looking away from them. "However, once you put the kettle onto fire, it hurts the _tanuki_, breaks the transformation, and it then flees. There is one story about how it was tricked into drowning, but most seem to show that fire is what causes the _tanuki_'s defeat."

"But how do we get it to transform into a kettle?" Shindou protested. "And how does that free Sai? If the _tanuki_ runs, then it'll take with it all information about Sai!"

"Seishuu-san said that the reason the _tanuki_ has a grudge on Sai is because Sai defeated him in a game," Watanuki said thoughtfully.

"Probably a Go game," grumbled the green-eyed boy with fond exasperation. "Like I said, Sai's Go-obsessed! That stupid ghost, even in the spirit world, his addiction to Go is causing trouble!"

"For a mortal, even a ghost, to defeat immortal spirits in a game is very, very unusual," Doumeki pointed out. "While there is always a legend about someone who succeeds, there are ten more about those who failed and were eaten. This friend of yours must be extremely good at Go."

"Sai has never been defeated!" Shindou boasted. He had shifted into a looser, cross-legged position. "Even now, four years later, his Internet games are still being talked about!"

Doumeki and Watanuki exchanged glances. Neither had ever had any contact with the Go-world, and most of what Shindou talked about passed over their heads. "Well, the reason I mentioned it," the thin, dark boy changed the subject, "is because maybe we can persuade it into playing a game where the stake is Sai's freedom."

"An Igo game where if I win, Sai is free?" Shindou tugged at a blonde lock thoughtfully. "But what is at stake if I lose? I don't want to get eaten or anything like that."

"I've never really heard of _tanuki_ being man-eaters," Doumeki answered, "more often they are tricking people out of sake or money. However, we're dealing with a _tanuki_ that's very angry and who has suffered a loss of honour. I have no doubt that he will demand a high price."

"Yuuko-san said that there must always be an equitable exchange," Watanuki agreed. "When she grants wishes, the more powerful or necessary a wish, the more is demanded of payment. One of the highest payment I've seen was for a boy from another dimension. He was trying to save a…a friend of his, and the price Yuuko-san requested for the ability to cross dimensions was that his friend would forget all about him."

"Memories in exchange for the ability to cross dimensions, huh?"

"His was only 1/4th of the price," Watanuki cautioned. "There were three others who also had to pay high price, and now they are all travelling together. The thing is, can you pay the price it takes to free your friend?"

"In this circumstance, it might be a soul for a soul," Doumeki interjected quietly.

Shindou's Adam's apple bobbed several times, but with a deep, shuddering breath that he exhaled loudly, he nodded. "I'll pay whatever price I need to pay to see Sai is free. Even if it means that I can't return to my body before the week is up," he replied stonily, his green eyes dark with resolve.

Watanuki shivered and he fiddled with one of the book's thick, parchment pages. "Well, now that we know what we'll do, the problem is finding where the _tanuki_ might be."

"Where's the black puffball?" Shindou asked suddenly.

The three of them immediately began to look around. Moments later, there was a muffled yelp and Watanuki and Shindou saw Doumeki fall over. Mokona was bouncing up and down on his kimono happily. "What happened?" Watanuki asked, jaw agape at his rival's unusual lack of composure.

"Mokona was practicing cloud-form!" the creature replied cheerily. There was a small puff and suddenly a black form identical to the ones on Doumeki's kimono was floating in front of them. Mokona transformed back immediately. "It's one of Mokona's 108 Secret Techniques!"

"You mean that thing can transform like a _tanuki!"_ Shindou yelled, pointing wildly at Mokona.

"Yuuko-san made these things," Watanuki grumbled, "I wouldn't be too surprised if they can cause lightning on a clear day."

"Hey, that's Mokona's Secret Technique #72!" exclaimed the wing-eared entity. "How did you find out, Watanuki?"

The boy's jaw fell for a moment, before he regained composure. "Never mind," he growled. "Mokona, Yuuko-san wouldn't send you with us if she didn't know you'd be able to help us. Do you have any idea how we can find the location of the _tanuki­ _spirit?"

Mokona frowned and bounced all the way back up to his nest on top of Doumeki's head. Watanuki covered his mouth, hiding a snicker. "Mokona sees and feels spirit and spirit power," it replied once it resettled itself. "But Mokona must be close by to be able to tell."

Doumeki stood up and left the room without a word. Shindou fell onto the tatami mats, sprawling spread-eagled. "Dammit, Sai!" he yelled to the ceiling. "Leave me a message or something! I can't rescue you if I don't know where you are!"

Watanuki's eyes brightened. "That's it!" he exclaimed. Shindou goggled at him. "The dreams, Shindou! Those nightmares you were having! Sai was already leaving you a message!"

The boy pushed himself up to a sitting position. "But I haven't had dreams since that last one!"

"But there must have been something! Probably the dreams are the only way Sai could communicate with you! He must have left a clue!" Watanuki persisted, his arms waving in his excitement. "There are hundreds of spirit shrines around us, and a lot of Japan is still forests and mountains and valleys! We need to at least have a general idea of where to look!"

"Sheesh, pipe down, Watanuki, and give me time to think." Shindou propped his chin on an elbow and furrowed his brow. Both Watanuki and Mokona remained still and quiet as the other boy closed his eyes.

"Sai is sitting down," mumbled Shindou. His new friends edged closer, trying to listen in. "He's in _seiza_, and he is looking down. His hair is loose and he doesn't have that _tate-eboshi_ cap of his. The white mist isn't there. He's kneeling in a forest. Shadows, the shadows are all over him. Sai, Sai is glowing, the only bright thing in the place. The place he is kneeling is dark, but it's odd, like it has bumps. The shadows on his kimono are also odd, it's long and jagged. It's swaying – I think they're shadows of bamboo trees!" His eyes popped open and Watanuki muffled a shriek, yanking away, as that sudden movement startled him. "That's it," Shindou concluded, but there was a strong note of excitement in his voice.

There was a quiet rustle and they turned to see Doumeki (and Mokona, of course) settling down between them. In one hand he had a book of maps. "A forest where there's bamboo trees," the larger boy repeated, "but that's too vague. We are surrounded by forests, and I'd bet at least two would have bamboo groves." The other three wilted at this quelling statement.

"I guess the best thing to do is just sleep now," Watanuki suggested. "Let's get some rest. And um, Shindou, do you actually sleep in that form?"

The other boy shrugged. "I'm not sure if it's really sleep. It's more of a state of meditation, I think."

"Do you think that since you are in some form of dream-state, that you may be able to use it to contact your friend?" Doumeki suggested as he slowly got to his feet.

Shindou's face brightened. "That's a great idea!" he said enthusiastically. "I've been so caught up trying to figure out what was happening with me that I never thought of doing that!"

"Maybe you shouldn't," refuted Watanuki, wringing his hands. "I mean, if something happens to you, then our plan to challenge the spirit into a game would not work! Plus, you're a spirit now and spirits are vulnerable in the spirit-world!"

"I'm not just going to laze around here when I could be trying to do something to help Sai," argued Shindou hotly. "I'll be careful! But this is the only way we may be able to locate the place the _tanuki_ is hiding!"

"Just remember, it's your soul and your body that you're are risking," was Doumeki's only contribution.

WWWW

_**On to the Interlude…**_


	7. Interlude: Making Contact

**_CONNECTIONS_**

**_An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over_**

**_By Lady Addiction_**

**_WWWW_**

****

**INTERLUDE: MAKING CONTACT**

In his anxiety and excitement, that slow, calm, meditative state was hard to achieve for Shindou. And it turned out to be harder to stay in that state. Every time he managed it, the moment he tried to do something active, he broke free.

Finally, he decided to approach it as if he was deep underwater and each action he took must be done as slowly and sluggishly as he could. One thought came after another, separated by a period of enforced, relaxed emptiness. _Sai. Sai. Sai._

_Hikaru?_

At that faintest of responses, Hikaru's heart began to beat faster, but as aware as he was in this state, he refused to hurry and accidentally break free. After a long period of silence, he sent another thought. _I'm here, Sai._

_Hikaru?_

_Where are you, Hikaru?_

_I'm here, Sai._

_Sai, where are you?_

_I, I don't quite know._

_I remember the game with the River-God. _

_I remember the promise._

_I came on the eve of Setsubon._

_I came from the river into a forest._

_I remember…Kyuusei-san!_

_Tell me about the river, Sai._

_The river? _

_The river is only half as big as it was when I drowned myself there._

_There are bamboo trees along the side._

_The rocks on the banks cut my feet. _

_I bled on the ground._

_I could see an old well from the distance._

_It had a small shrine next to it._

_Do you know what happened to you, Sai?_

_I, I remember…_

_Hikaru! Kyuusei-san, he--!_

_Sai!_

And with that, Hikaru came out of the meditative state screaming Sai's name. Around the room, his companions came awake.

WWWW

_**On to Chapter 6…**_


	8. 6: Doubts

**_CONNECTIONS_**

**_An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over_**

**_By Lady Addiction_**

****

**_WWWW _**

**CHAPTER 6: DOUBTS**

Watanuki was the first to stumble to him, crawling. He didn't have his glasses and his eyes seemed enormous in the darkness of the room. "Shindou, Shindou, are you alright?"

Shindou was breathing rapidly, his fists clenching in his lap. "I'm okay, I'm okay," he repeated.

There was a sudden flare of yellow light and the smell of sulphur came upon them. Doumeki approached carefully, carrying a lit paper lantern. Mokona was cradled drowsing in the crook of his left arm. "Did it work?" the boy asked.

Shindou rubbed his hands on his face. Watanuki reached out to pat his back, half-afraid that his hand would pass through. To his secret delight, it didn't and he awkwardly tried to rub the other boy's back. "I'm fine, Watanuki. And yes, it worked. It was incredibly hard though. It was so hard to think so slowly, and he sounded so far away!"

"What did he say?" Doumeki continued the interrogation.

"He said something about the game with the River-God, and how he came out of the river from which he drowned. He says the river was only half as big as it was one thousand years ago, and that it had rocky banks and bamboo groves. He also mentioned something about a well and a shrine. Then he screamed. He screamed," Shindou repeated in a whisper, his face visibly haggard from the shock. "I think, I think the _tanuki_ did something to him, but I couldn't see anything. I can only hear his voice."

"Well, that narrows it down," Doumeki replied calmly. "I'm sure there are only a few rivers that would have all of these things together." He looked at a clock set on the wall. "It's a little past five. Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"No," Shindou replied firmly. "You guys can sleep, but if Mokona can help me turn the pages, I want to take a look at that map book you have."

Mokona bounded over to him and grabbed Shindou's right index finger. "Mokona will help all Mokona can," it said sincerely. Shindou smiled at it. "Thanks, Mokona. I appreciate it

Watanuki rubbed at his face. "I might as well stay awake, too. Let me find the way to the kitchen and I'll see if I can prepare a bit of a snack and coffee for us." He crawled back to his futon and blankets, fishing out his glasses, then stumbled out of the room.

"I'll freshen up," Doumeki stated before following Watanuki.

Shindou hugged his knees, Mokona a comforting warmth on his shoulder. "Mokona knows that we'll save your friend," it whispered to him. "Watanuki and Doumeki and Mokona will help! Everything will be alright."

The boy's smile was wan. The echoes of Sai's pained shriek still lingered in his mind, if not in his ears. "I hope you're right, Mokona, I hope you're right."

555

To Shindou's great annoyance, they had to wait until nightfall to begin their quest. While Watanuki had showed up to class (and had a leisurely conversation with his beloved Himawari-chan), Doumeki had skipped classes to scout the five potential locations they had managed to locate. He took Mokona with him. He had returned triumphant in the late afternoon saying that Mokona had found a matching location with great spiritual activity.

When Watanuki had returned to the temple, he had found Shindou pensively sitting at the temple's front porch. Apparently, the boy-spirit had made his way back to his body just in time to hear the doctor telling his parents and a friend of his named Touya that his body's vital signs were faltering. Watanuki sat beside him, only able to offer a listening ear as his companion ranted about how frustrated he felt, standing there and not being able to tell his agitated visitors that he was alright ("My mother was crying! And my dad, he-he was…and Touya…"). Shindou had stayed to watch his parents leave and Touya settle at his bedside, reading a children's book out loud ("…a children's book! We're eighteen years old, not eight!" – and if Watanuki heard a curiously affectionate undertone to his friend's incredulous statements about the Touya person, he kept it to himself).

After a few hours of preparation and last minute strategy meetings, they rode a bus to the outskirts of the city to the foot of the small mountain called Koryuu (" 'Little dragon'?" Shindou had exclaimed loudly as they looked at the well-worn signboard, "who names these things anyway!), heading up the trail. The three of them had decided to dress in variations of greens and blacks, and Watanuki carried a bulky knapsack, while Doumeki carried weapons, the book, and Mokona. Shindou tromped after them.

By the time they reached the river, Watanuki was panting heavily and staggering. He was glowering at his tireless companions, Shindou for being incorporeal and invulnerable to human weakness, and Doumeki for simply being an inhuman bastard. At the sight of the rushing waters, he moaned and plopped down onto a large rock. "Y-you j-jerk …" he gasped out, squinting at Doumeki, "w-we're not…in…in s-some…ma-marathon…you, you know…"

The archer merely prowled around, ignoring the smaller boy's spluttering complaints. Shindou trailed after him. "Are you sure this is it?" he asked nervously.

"Yes, I found the well and shrine as you described it. It's only a few more yards upstream from here."

Watanuki took off the backpack and tried to regain his breath. He also tried to hide the fact that he was eavesdropping.

Shindou blew out a breath loudly. "I-I'm not sure I can do this," he admitted in an undertone. Bastard only looked at him. "I mean, I can handle human opponents, but we're talking about a spirit here! A demon! And the _kitsune_ shopkeeper already said that he cheats."

"You must make a decision and follow through," Jerkwad replied after a thoughtful quiet, "if you cannot give a good game, then we must rethink our plans and maybe return tomorrow. You will still have two days before the week is up."

Shindou shook his head angrily. "No! We've been through that book several times! There is no other solution than this! I-I-"

"To enter a battlefield, one must enter with a calm mind and spirit," Bastard said gravely. Watanuki scowled at him, valiantly refraining from blowing a raspberry. "We are entering the lair of a trickster, who will use everything it can to throw us into a turmoil so that we will make a mistake. If you feel you cannot do this now, it is better to wait than to risk losing all due to impatience."

"Just, just give me time, okay!" With that, Shindou stalked off and brooded some distance away, pacing beneath an acacia tree.

"Do you find it necessary to irritate everybody around you?" Watanuki queried him in a vicious tone as the bigger youth came abreast of him. Doumeki only looked at him, his mouth tightening.

"I speak only the truth. How will it help his friend or us if he gets himself trapped because he played a game when he couldn't think clearly?"

Watanuki's face soured, but he remained quiet. They waited until Shindou walked towards them. The boy's handsome face was set in a fiercely determined expression, his green eyes clear and bright. "I'm ready," he stated simply.

WWWW

_**On to Chapter 7…**_


	9. 7: Go Is Everything

**_CONNECTIONS_**

**_An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over_**

**_By Lady Addiction_**

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**_WWWW_**

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**CHAPTER 7: GO IS EVERYTHING**

Even after all he had experienced at Yuuko-san's shop, Watanuki found himself shaking as he headed for the small shrine beside the well. The shrine consisted of a small wooden house structure balanced atop a stone pedestal. At four corners stood slender bamboo poles from which a hemp rope wrapped in twisted strips of white paper hung around the shrine. There were no indications of what kind of house-spirit resided in it.

The boy knelt before the shrine. Slowly, he put down two bottles of good quality sake. He opened one bottle and poured out a small quantity onto the ground. He felt a little stupid and more than a little fearful as he called out "_Tanuki_-san, _tanuki_-san," quietly under his breath. In his mind, he cursed Doumeki-the-ass and his idiotic idea for calling out a spirit, and the book for not mentioning how else they might be able to call a spirit to them. It didn't help that Mokona's idea of encouragement was waving a banner with the words "YOU'VE GOT GUTS, WATANUKI!" energetically on Doumeki's head.

The three of them waited.

An hour passed. Then two.

Finally (frankly, Watanuki had been surprised he hadn't done it sooner), Shindou stepped forward and told Watanuki to get away from the holy site. He stomped his way to the shrine but, to his companions' surprised relief, refrained from kicking it down or even trespassing. Instead, inches away from the hemp barrier, Shindou raised his head and called out in a loud, challenging voice: "Oi, _tanuki_ or whatever you are! Come out! I'm here to challenge you to a game of Go to free my friend, Fujiwarano Sai!"

Three times, Shindou repeated variations of this. On the third time, a cold wind blew and the trees around them rustled. Leafy whirlwinds exploded around them, and one flew towards Shindou's face. The boy grabbed at it and then yelped as he felt a thick furry texture. He threw the leaf away, thinking it contained a large caterpillar. His companions rushed to him, only to find that a small upright creature with a bamboo hat and gleaming black eyes looking at them malevolently. A bottle of sake hung from a rope-belt around its waist, and its enormous testicles were like overinflated balloons beneath its corpulent belly. Mokona _eep_ed and hid in Doumeki's hair.

"Disrespectful, ugly _humans_," the spirit sneered. "I am no tame spirit to come at an offering like this!" He jerked a paw towards the sake. "And you, you human-spirit! You are the one _he _is looking for!"

"You mean Sai! Yes, I'm Shindou Hikaru and I demand that you release him!"

The _tanuki_ seem to swell even wider in fury. "You vile trespassers! You are in my territory! DO NOT PRESUME to make orders here!" It began to drum a raucous, furious drumbeat on its testes that had them clutching their ears in agony. Watanuki closed his eyes at the sight.

"I don't care if I go deaf!" Shindou howled. "I'm staying here until I free Sai!"

The insane drumming halted and the spirit cocked its head to the side. "You have one chance to persuade me to a game of Go, the same game your treacherous friend had tricked me into losing!"

"Sai doesn't cheat!" Watanuki, Doumeki, and Mokona winced as their friend continued to yell.

"Be quiet!" The demon-spirit began to run around at lightning speed. As the three humans watched him with wide eyes, he halted back in front of the green-eyed boy and held out a bowl containing a pool of coins with different denominations. "In this bowl, there is one coin that was once a pebble. The rest are leaves. Find me the pebble, and I will battle you in Igo," the creature challenged smugly, puffing out its round cheeks.

"This…this is…" _Impossible_ was what Watanuki wanted to say. But for some reason, the word caught at his throat. With a chill, he recalled that incident with the twin sisters, where he discovered that words bound people and themselves to certain paths. Especially the wrong ones.

Instead, he clenched his teeth and watched. Doumeki, appearing tense and taut beside him, remained silent as well after a sidelong glance at Watanuki.

Then, after closing his eyes for a moment, Shindou moved away from the trickster. They watched him calmly walk towards the riverbank and pick up a pebble. He fisted it, holding it tight for several minutes, before letting it drop. Then he returned to his position before the _tanuki_-spirit and without hesitation, plunged his hand into the bowl.

His hand moved around in circular motions, causing the coins to _chink_ and _tink_, before he suddenly pulled it out, finger curled tight against his palm. He held out the fist to the _tanuki_ and slowly opened it. Watanuki held his breath, barely aware of Doumeki doing the same thing.

The demon looked at the small 100-yen coin and angrily threw the bowl of coins onto the ground. The magic dissipated as, rather than a loud crash, a rain of green leaves fell slowly to the earth. On Shindou's palm was a small, round rock.

"Come then, human-spirit, and we will have a match."

"I want to see Sai first!" demanded Shindou. Watanuki closed his eyes, feeling the unsettling sensation of butterflies in his stomach.

The demon-spirit sighed. With a flick of his hand, the bamboo grove closest to the shrine shimmered and transformed into a cage holding a white-clad form that was kneeling on the grassy floor.

"Sai!"

The spirit's head jerked up and Watanuki gasped, astonished by the delicate beauty of that pearlescent face. Beneath the moonlight, the mysterious ghost seemed to glow, his long curtain of purple hair gleaming like the highest quality silk. Long-fingered hands clenched on the bamboo poles that encased him. "Hikaru? Hikaru!"

"Sai!" With a joyous laugh, Shindou ran to his friend. But a mere foot away, he was repulsed by an invisible barrier, landing with an 'oof!' on his rear. Quickly, he got up and began hammering at the unseen wall. "Sai! Sai! Are you alright! Sai!"

"Hikaru! What-what are you doing here! And yes, I'm fine, I'm fine! But, Hikaru, you-you—" Sai was turning pale with horror as he looked at the scene before him. Watanuki met captivating lavender eyes for an all-too-short moment before Sai turned back to Shindou.

"Sai! I found you, Sai! Finally, I found you! Don't worry, Sai, I'm going to beat this _tanuki_ spirit and free you!"

"Hikaru, no! This is- This is-" Suddenly, Sai's voice was cut off. His mouth moved, but no noise came to them.

"Ah-ah-ah," interrupted the demon, grinning. "I hate to cut this reunion short, but we still have things to do, young Shindou. Fujiwarano may watch as you lose and forfeit your Go ability."

"What!" Shindou's mouth dropped.

"The wager between us is Fujiwarano's soul's freedom and your own Go ability," repeated the _tanuki_ in a mocking tone.

"What-what does that mean!"

"It means that when you lose, you will never be able to play Go like you can right now ever again. You will be able to pick up the stones, and you can relearn the game, but the prodigious talent that now makes you a powerful player will be forfeit. You will forever be the has-been _who could have been one of the Greatest!_" The _tanuki_'s beady eyes gleamed. "Are you still willing to enter into a match with me?"

Sai was now beating at the cage bars. Shindou was watching him, his face half-hidden by swaying shadows.

Watanuki felt absolutely helpless as he stood there and witnessed the events unfold. The price demanded by the _tanuki_ had made him wince and Doumeki hitch a breath, but he had no doubts as to what Shindou would say.

"Let's play."

WWWW

_**On to Chapter 8…we're almost done, folks! Please don't forget to comment! Reviews are much appreciated!**_


	10. 8: A Game With A Trickster

**_CONNECTIONS_**

**_An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over_**

**_By Lady Addiction_**

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**_WWW_**

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**CHAPTER 8: A GAME WITH A TRICKSTER**

"Wait."

The _tanuki_-spirit halted and looked over his shoulder at Shindou, whiskers twitching.

The human-spirit turned to Watanuki. It took a sotto-voce aside of "goban set" from Doumeki before Watanuki understood what his friend wanted. Flushing, he let the heavy backpack fall to the ground and dug out a portable wooden goban and two plastic go-ke. He headed for the grassy spot beside Sai's cage. Doumeki, carrying the backpack, followed as he trotted off to set up the match location. Mokona still clung to the bigger youth fiercely, chubby face in an uncharacteristic frown.

"This is unnecessary, human," the _tanuki_ said. "I could have easily transformed us a goban set."

Shindou smiled bleakly. "Forgive me, but I find that I would prefer this." Watanuki nodded. They had discussed this earlier. What can be transformed can easily be returned to its original form at any time, and mayhap disrupting the game at a fateful moment. Fortunately, Doumeki had anticipated this and had already bought a cheap portable set before he and Mokona returned to the temple that afternoon.

The opponents settled on the opposite sides of the board. Then a problem occurred that none of the human trio had foreseen. Shindou's hands passed through the go-ke as he tried to reach for it. He froze. The _tanuki_ smiled and took a big gulp from his sake bottle.

"What happened?" Doumeki asked Watanuki softly.

"I think it's because Shindou didn't create the goban set himself," he replied, "they are things from the living world and since he's a spirit, he can't touch them."

Exhaling softly, Shindou turned his eyes to them. "Watanuki, can you…?"

"Of course," the boy replied, squaring his shoulders. He settled down on Shindou's previous position while the other moved behind him to the right. Watanuki picked up the go-ke and settled close to his right knee. "Um, Shindou, how are we going to do this?"

Shindou's green eyes seemed to darken and deepen, before the boy smiled, an enigmatic stretch of the mouth that set Watanuki wondering if the other was laughing at some secret joke. Shindou held up his fan. "I will point out the positions with this."

"Ah, good. Nigiri then," Watanuki said, directing his words at his otherworldly opponent. The _tanuki_ bared his sharp teeth at him and dropped two black stones with a _clack-clack _on the board. Watanuki grabbed a handful of white stones and followed suit.

They were black.

"We will follow the no-komi rule," the _tanuki_ stated. Both humans looked at him. "I am merely a lowly spirit, and much of the changes in Igo leave me baffled." Neither of his opponents looked convinced but as Shindou slowly nodded his agreement, Watanuki shrugged. Doumeki settled close to them, and both he and Mokona watched silently.

They switched the go-ke, bowed, and murmured the ritual beginning phrase. Then Watanuki jerked in startlement as a ghostly fan appeared beside him, the tip hovering over the lower-right star point. The _tanuki_ was quick to reply, grabbing the upper-right star point. The next two star points were claimed and before Watanuki's eyes, the opening josekis unfolded with casual ease.

'It is odd,' he thought, moving his hand to follow Shindou's fan, 'to see the patterns blossom under my hand yet to know that I have nothing to do with this.'

After the quick first half, the mid-game began to drag down. Shindou would spend long moments pondering the board, while the _tanuki_ would make careless comments that had Watanuki twitching. The boy-spirit behind him though never even flinched, even when the comments were about Sai.

As the game progressed, Watanuki felt totally lost. His beginner's knowledge of Go only allowed him to see the obvious traps and pitfalls, but veiled the deeper meanings to the careful moves placed. Often he would stifle a gasp as a seeming random hand placed a stone for a purpose he couldn't understand, only to see a killing pattern emerge – suffocating and isolating White's soldiers. Then the _tanuki_ would dispel it, his clawed paw handling the stones with a delicate precision that seemed unnatural.

In one of the pauses, Watanuki turned his head slightly to look at the object of this night's battle. The ancient spirit had fallen into seiza, his eyes glittering as it followed the game. That beautiful face was expressionless and still, and Watanuki chafed, wondering if Shindou was winning or losing and wanting some kind of hint.

Just before they entered endgame, a windfall of leaves fell upon them before a chilly wind blew them away. Then Watanuki heard Shindou and Sai gasped simultaneously, and his attention went back to the board.

He couldn't see it at first, and so he looked at his two companions. Both ghosts had horror-stricken expressions. Whipping his head back to the game before him, he studied it intently. Then he blinked, and blinked again.

The shape on the upper left corner was wrong.

There was a stone missing.

A black stone.

And it wasn't until it was missing that Watanuki saw exactly how significant that move had been. Now the three groups of black were in danger of being swallowed up by the wall of white surrounding them.

With a growly chuckle, the _tanuki_ spirit languidly placed a stone on that spot. And Watanuki winced. From what he could understand of the shapes, Shindou is on the verge of losing two of the three groups – a combined territory worth at least fifteen moku.

A loss that would mean the end of the game for both Sai and Shindou.

"Well, well, well," the _tanuki_ taunted, "it looks like the game is almost complete. Are you ready for your last _competent_ game of Go to finish, impudent human-spirit?"

"Not yet," Shindou gritted out. "I will never give up!"

Watanuki craned his neck and blanched at the sight of Shindou's face. The boy's face was drawn taut, his brows furrowed, mouth tight. His green eyes seemed to glow, and Watanuki could feel an immense aura radiate from Shindou, an aura that seemed to suffocate him.

"Watanuki!" the boy snapped. Watanuki jumped and settled back. The fan was pointed imperiously at a spot far from the disputed position, but a look at Shindou's face told him it was no mistake. Gingerly, Watanuki placed the stone.

Then his eyes widened as the threat made itself apparent three moves later. That stone had been a set-up in order to attack a crucial point in the defence of a tight-clustered white group at the middle. The _tanuki_ took a deep gulp of sake, but Watanuki could see it flinch. He allowed himself to smirk at the demon-spirit. It glared at him.

Then, as if the setback had not affected him at all, Shindou's fan flicked from position to position. So fast that Watanuki almost failed to follow a couple of times. He did keep an eye on that fateful area, and breathed a sigh of relief as his friend deftly rescued his endangered stones. He hid a smile as he heard the _tanuki _angrily growl before him. Then, the orders came with little pause in between and he had no time to study the game as he tried to keep up with the fan's rapid-fire movements.

So caught up was he that the _tanuki_'s disgusted mutter of "I resign" caught him by surprise. Watanuki stared blankly at that dark, inhuman face. Shindou, on the other hand, was relaxed as he bowed and murmured his thanks. Watanuki hastened to follow his example.

"Beware, human-child, and you, Fujiwarano, never to cross my path again," warned the _tanuki_. "I would not be so lenient the next time." Then faster than their eyes could follow, the demon scuttled away.

Sai's bamboo cage dissipated. The spirit immediately tried to get up, only to stumble.

"Sai!" Shindou ran to him and helped him up. Then the two of them embraced tightly. Watanuki slowly repacked the goban set into the backpack, trying not to listen to Shindou's sobbing words as Sai rubbed a hand on his back. Doumeki took up the backpack and they retreated a good distance away. Mokona was dancing happily on Doumeki's head, chirping praises to the two triumphant warriors.

"We survived," he whispered aloud. Doumeki only looked at him. For once, that placid face failed to make him angry. "I-I can't believe it…we battled a _tanuki_ and won!"

"You surprised me, being able to follow Shindou's orders like that," his rival said. "I thought you only followed Yuuko-san's orders."

"Shut up!" Trust Doumeki to destroy the glowy feeling that encompassed him. He sent a killing glare into those dark eyes, but he could only see his own angry face reflected back in its calm depths. Mumbling angrily, he looked away.

"Guys!" The two spirits made their way towards them. Shindou's face was wreathed in a breathtaking grin, and Sai's was alit with a gorgeous smile. "Watanuki, I-I can't take you enough for helping me. If I hadn't met you, I would never have been able to free Sai and I might have died and become a ghost!" Awkwardly, Shindou bowed low.

Sai also bowed, a fluid motion so unlike his younger companion's. "I am also deeply in debt to you, to both of you. Thank you for taking care of Hikaru and helping set me free from Kyuusei-san's trap."

Watanuki brought up his hands and waved them frantically before himself. "No, no, it was nothing. I can't do any less when I know a friend is in need of help." He dropped his hands. "I'm just glad everything turned out fine." Doumeki nodded beside him.

"Hikaru, you forgot to introduce us," reproached the ancient spirit.

"Oh yeah, heh-heh-heh." Rubbing the back of his head, Shindou made a quick, sloppy introduction.

They all made their way back to the roads, chatting happily. Watanuki was fascinated at the idea that a thousand-year-old ghost was right beside him and didn't want to devour him. He asked Sai to describe some of his experiences in the Heian era and in Shusaku's time, while Shindou interrupted intermittently and Doumeki listened intently. Mokona was watching them all with a proud, paternal expression on his dark face.

"Ne, Shindou?" Watanuki ventured as they came out of the mountain trail and onto the highway. There was one thing about the game that was gnawing at him. "Maybe I'm wrong, but the game could have reached _seichi_, right?"

"Well, all games could have reached _seichi_," it was Sai who answered with a gentle smile. Shindou nodded beside him. "However, Hikaru was correct in forcing Kyuusei-san to resign before that stage."

"Why is that?" Watanuki prodded. They began the long walk back into town.

"That _tanuki_ cheated," Shindou said with a shrug, "you saw it. Somehow, it caused the wind to blow just before his turn and while we couldn't see, it filched a vital stone. If it disrespected me and the game enough to do that during midgame, it will definitely try something during _seichi._"

"_Seichi_ is the most vulnerable point in a Go game," explained Sai. "It completely relies on a sense of honour. Because you would normally be concentrating on counting your opponent's territory, you would not be paying any attention to what he is doing. It is one of the most dishonourable ways of cheating. Well, all cheating is dishonourable but…"

"The _kitsune_ who told us your story said that the reason the _tanuki_ was angry because he had lost a game to you and had dishonoured himself in the losing," Doumeki inserted.

"He was cheating during that game too," Sai replied calmly. "The dishonour came with losing to a _human_, especially after making a point of bragging about how he had only lost games to the higher gods and spirits, not the act of losing itself. The demons in the Other world don't look at humans or human-spirits as equals. That is why to a _tanuki_, cheating a human is seen as something acceptable, while if he tried to do something similar to a fellow demon, it would be dishonourable and worthy of bloodshed."

"I think I understand," Watanuki finally said. He sighed wistfully. "I think I would like to learn a bit more about Go. When I was placing the stones down, I felt as if I was missing a lot of what was going on."

Shindou exchanged mysterious smiles with Sai. "I know what you mean," the boy-spirit replied with a grin. "Don't worry, once I'm back in my own body, I'll make sure to make time to teach you as much as you want to know."

The rest of the walk passed by in companionable silence.

"What are you going to do now, Shindou?" Doumeki asked once they were inside the town again. The two spirits looked at each other.

"I, well, Sai and I have a lot to catch up on so I think we're just going to head to the hospital where my body is. After that, he's going back to the Other world, while I'm hoping that by tomorrow, I'll be back in my own body," Shindou replied after he consulted with the other ghost.

"Most likely," Doumeki agreed, "however, we will visit you tomorrow to see if everything has gone alright."

"That's fine. I'm in the Kamogawa Hospital, fifth floor. Just tell them that you're good friends of mine, and they'll let you in. Now, we've got to go! I don't want to waste any more time!" With a wave, the two trotted off.

"What about you?"

Watanuki scowled. "I'm going home, of course! I'm not staying another night at your ghost-infested temple!" With a roll of his eyes, Doumeki handed over the pack. Mokona made a great leap from Doumeki's head onto Watanuki's. The bigger boy smirked, while Watanuki half-heartedly tried to swat at the black creature.

"I'll see you at school then tomorrow."

"If you have to," Watanuki replied unenthusiastically. Doumeki, however, was undaunted and he waved casually before heading back to the temple.

And Watanuki made his home, feeling both bereft and satisfied with the aftermath. He couldn't help but reach up to poke Mokona on its belly as he walked, more than a little glad that he wasn't alone.

WWWW

_**And to the last chapter…**_


	11. Epilogue

**_CONNECTIONS_**

**_An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over_**

**_By Lady Addiction_**

**_WWWW _**

**EPILOGUE:**

When Hikaru opened his eyes, the whiteness of his surroundings startled him into thinking that he was back in that dreamland with Sai. But Sai had once more returned to the Other world, and by the languorous feeling that seemed to sweep over him, he was back in his body with no side effects.

"Shindou? Shindou, you're awake!"

Hikaru winced. "Shut up, Touya," he mumbled, reaching up to rub at his eyes. He winced as he felt the uncomfortable prick of the IV needles with his movements.

The other pro seemed to have heard for he refrained from any more exclamations, but instead leapt for the button that called a nurse. Within minutes, a slim dark woman in an immaculate uniform appeared. Hikaru grimaced, not looking forward to the interrogation that was about to occur. It didn't help that the doctor appeared soon afterwards.

Finally, everyone was satisfied that he was about to make good progress on healing and Touya had come back from making calls. Hikaru was reclining on the bed, already making good headway into the lump of presents on his bedside table.

"Hah! Waya got me this! That bastard, showing off!" Hikaru muttered, fumbling at a thin joseki introductory book that his friend had recently published. "Dammit, I don't see why Go pros have to publish! It's not like you can learn to play a good game of Go just by reading books!"

"Maybe if you would learn to be able to use kanji in a grammatically correct way, you would have no problems publishing as well, Shindou," Touya commented from the chair by the bed. For all the dryness in his voice, there was a brightness to his friend's eyes that made Hikaru look away, uncomfortable. "Then again, I highly doubt you know more than 500 anyway," he continued on.

Hikaru glowered at his rival. "Of course, I do! Just because I don't spend my time reading thick literature books doesn't mean I'm illiterate, Touya!"

"You must be joking!" the other snapped back. "I saw that birthday card you were about to give to Akari and there were so many errors in it, that you might as well have been illiterate!"

"Oooh, I just woke up from a coma and I should have to put up with you!" Hikaru shouted back.

"Well, you will just have to put up with me until your parents arrived because Lord knows, the minute you're by yourself you might accidentally kill yourself with the IV needle!"

"Shut up, Touya! Who said you should be here anyway!"

And the battle was on, and even as the nurses rushed in to find out what was happening, Hikaru couldn't help the smile in his eyes. From the way, Touya was smirking, the ass was also glad that everything was back to normal.

And if a small part of him wished that Sai was there too, Hikaru ignored it.

Sai was back where he belonged now, and so was he.

_**-FIN-**_

_**So how was it? I hope you guys had as much fun reading it as I did writing it! Let me know what you think!**_

_**And for those who want more, there's a side story!**_


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